THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all very much for having me here today. If
anybody were to come to this center, they would have to leave inspired and
thankful, inspired by the servicemen and women who are recovering from
wounds with such courage; thankful that there are instructors and preachers
and volunteers who are helping these people get back on their feet and
getting their lives together.

This center was funded entirely by contributions of more than 600,000
Americans through what's called the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. This
center is a tribute to the generosity of the American people. Make no
mistake about it, the American people support the men and women who wear
our nation's uniform. This center is a testament to our deep belief that
someone wounded in the defense of America needs all the help he or she can
get. The servicemen and women here have borne the burdens of battle.
They have kept our country safe. We honor them and their families by
helping them with all we can.

I am here to highlight one of the world's top rehabilitation facilities --
right here in my home state of San Antonio, Texas. It's a partnership
between the private sector and the federal government. The Center for the
Intrepid makes use of the best available technologies to give severely
injured service members and amputees the opportunity to lead full and
productive lives. That's the mission. The mission is to take a good man
who I've met before, and help him live a full and productive life.

This facilities include a pool, a -- where's my man? There he is -- a wave
runner. By the way, this guy from Oklahoma handled those waves pretty
well. An indoor running track, a two-story climbing wall, a prosthetics
center, a virtual driving program that teaches patients how to control an
automobile -- that was my driver, right there -- a fully-furnished
apartment that helps patients learn to adjust to disabilities in the
real-life world.

This center also provides compassionate support for the families. The
Fisher House program -- and I want to thank the Fishers for joining us
today -- provides on-site housing for
up to 57 families, where they're here to visit their injured loved ones.
The Fisher family that has supported the Fisher houses is a remarkable
family, and these good folks represent the true spirit of America -- people
coming forth to help a neighbor in need. Real proud you both are here.

Medical advances have enabled facilities such as this one to provide
wounded warriors with care that would have been unimaginable just a decade
ago. The technology that's being used here is state of the art. Our
system for managing the care, however, has fallen behind. The technology
has advanced. Our system needs to be modernized.

We have an outdated system that can bog down some of those recovering in a
maze of bureaucracy. And that's what happened at Walter Reed Army Medical
Center. The care at Walter Reed is fantastic. Our military doctors and
nurses are some of the best in the world. The United States owes a huge
debt of gratitude to the care providers at Walter Reed and at
rehabilitation facilities like this one. However, there were serious
problems caused by bureaucratic delays and administrative failures. And
that is unacceptable. It's unacceptable to me as the Commander-in-Chief,
it's unacceptable to the families of those who deserve the best care, and
it's unacceptable to the American people.

And so at my request, I asked Senator Bob Dole, former Secretary of Health
and Human Services Donna Shalala to analyze the issue, to look at the
problem, and to come up with specific recommendations for modernizing and
improving our system of care. They came up with recommendations, and I
strongly support them, and so should the United States Congress.

Now, many of the recommendations require administrative action, and that's
precisely what this administration is doing. For example: Over the next
few weeks, the first Federal Recovery Coordinators will be hired. These
Coordinators will guide seriously wounded service members through their
recuperation.
We don't want people to fall through the cracks of care. We don't want
people to be confused by the system. We want people's families to be
comfortable with the care that their loved one is receiving, and therefore
we'll have these specially trained people to stay with a person throughout
their rehabilitation.

A pilot program to establish a single comprehensive disability exam is
underway. This replaces the two difficult -- two different, difficult exams
that service members must currently undergo through the Defense and
Veterans Affairs Departments separately. It makes no sense. Somebody gets
hurt, there ought to be one exam, not two. The whole purpose is to analyze
somebody to make sure that they get that which they're entitled to as
quickly as possible, without confusion.

We're working to aggressively prevent and treat Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury. A new National Center of Excellence
for PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury has just hired its first staff members
and moved into temporary offices. The purpose is to develop best
practices. The real purpose is to make sure we help those coming out of
combat to be able to adjust to real life as a civilian.

The Defense Department is working to ensure that the best health
professionals are kept on duty at Walter Reed. There's some concern, since
Walter Reed will be shut down, that Walter Reed is not going to have the
best there is. They don't have to worry about it. We'll make sure that
those at Walter Reed are incented to stay there until there's a new
facility opened in Washington, D.C.

And tomorrow the Department of Veterans Affairs will initiate two studies
that will help provide the information necessary to modernize the veterans'
disability system.
The system needs to be modernized, and I want to make sure our men and
women coming out of combat in Afghanistan and Iraq have a modern disability
system. And that's what the studies are going to do.

Some of the recommendations put forward by Dole-Shalala commission require
legislative action. And we're working with the Congress. I look forward
to having quick action by the Congress on the Dole-Shalala commission
recommendations, just like I expect the United States Congress to get the
Veterans Affairs appropriations bill to my desk. Now, look, there's
obvious some disagreements between me and the Congress, but there's no
disagreement over the amount of money we're going to spend for veterans.
And they need to get the bill -- to do their job. They need to get the
bill to the desk of the President as a standalone piece of legislation, so
the veterans of this country understand that we're going to support them.

Congress needs to take prompt action on measures that will send a clear
signal that we support our troops in the field, and we support them when
they're coming off the field -- that we support those in harm's way, and we
support those through the best possible care and rehabilitation facilities.

Service members being treated here and at other veterans' facilities are
focused on what they have left to give, rather than what they have lost.
And they have high hopes for their future.

Our country is inspired by Americans that we find in facilities like this.
Christian Bagge is a guy I met over here at the hospital. I'll never
forget looking at Christian's eyes, and wondering whether or not he was
going to make it. See, both his legs were blown off, and he didn't look
good. I knew he'd get the best possible care. I knew that this government
would do everything we could to help him heal, and after talking to him for
a minute, I realized he had the courage necessary. He told me one thing --
he looked at me, he said, Mr. President, you don't need to worry about me;
someday I'm going to come to the White House and run with you on the South
Lawn. I looked at him and said, come on, Christian; I'll be ready when you
are, not sure whether or not this good man would really be able to do it;
certain he wanted to, but unsure. And if you'd have been in my position,
you would have, too. After all, he'd just come off the battlefield and
lost both his legs.

Sure enough, the phone call came to the White House. Christian came. Guy
who had both legs blown off, as a result of the care and compassion, and as
a result of the courage in his heart, came to run with the President at the
White House. Plus, he outran me.

The spirit of America is strong in facilities like this. Our country is a
remarkable country that has produced men and women who volunteer to protect
our nation in the face of danger. And there's no better example of finding
those type of citizens than right here; citizens who have shown incredible
courage; citizens who love our country; and citizens whose resolve is
inspiring.

And so I appreciate you letting me come by. May God bless you all.
(Applause.)